Girl dies of crash injuries

The Daily Inter Lake

A 13-year-old girl was taken off life support and died Thursday afternoon at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Shava Harper of Kalispell was injured in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 2 about two miles west of Kalispell just before 8:40 p.m. Wednesday.

It happened at the highway's intersection with West Springcreek Road, the name of the crossroad to the north, and Derns Road, the crossroad name to the south. The intersection just west of Hartt Hill is controlled with an overhead light that flashes yellow to highway traffic and red to crossroad traffic.

Montana Highway Patrol officer Jim Hawkins said Harper was a passenger in a minivan driven by a 16-year-old girl, also from Kalispell. A 16-year-old Columbia Falls boy was the third passenger. All three appeared to be wearing their seat belts.

The northbound minivan approached from Derns Road and crossed in front of a westbound Chevrolet Blazer on U.S. 2.

The Blazer, driven by Jessica Ginnaty, 26, from the Libby area, struck the minivan in the side and rolled it over onto its driver's side. All three in the minivan were injured, and had to be extricated from the vehicle, Hawkins said. They were taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center by Smith Valley Fire/Rescue and Marion ambulance.

Ginnaty, who was alone, was uninjured.

Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan said the boy's father reported his son was in critical condition at Kalispell Regional on Thursday morning.

No information was available on the condition of the driver.

Hawkins said he could not ascertain whether the minivan driver came to a complete stop before crossing, only that she entered the highway at an unsafe moment.

Neither speed nor alcohol was a factor in the crash, he said. Both vehicles were damaged extensively.

Memorial services are planned for Harper at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. See page A10 for the notice.